As the crowd surged towards the Ministry of Security, Shirley, Claire, and our Sea Lion team worked their way to the edge of the crowd, watching the action on their iPhones in real time. “This could get ugly,” I said. “I think we should go back to our hotel suite and watch from there.” Everyone agreed and we pushed our way through the crowd, moving against the flow toward the Ministry. A half hour later, somewhat ruffled but none the worse for wear, we arrived at our hotel, breathing a sigh of relief as we passed through the entryway into the relative peace of the hotel lobby. As we moved towards the elevators, I noticed that all the monitors visible in the lobby or the bar were tuned to the action taking place outside.
We gathered in the living room, turned the television on, and were immediately struck with the change in mood of the crowd. There was an angry side to their actions now as they milled around in front of the Ministry building. So many people had squeezed inside that there simply wasn’t room for anyone else within the building. As we watched a commotion began at the entryway, with the crowd backing away as a group of students dragged the ministers and CEOs out of the building. The powerful men no longer looked so smug and self-satisfied now. Their clothes were ripped and several of them were bleeding from the nose, obviously roughed up a bit in the process of dragging them out into the open. No security guards were visible at all. The narrator on the television explained, “Crowds like this one have gathered in the streets in virtually every city and town and village in China. All commerce has come to an abrupt halt. We estimate that there are now literally hundreds of millions of people participating in this nationwide demonstration. The Premier, Ministers, and business leaders have now been brought out into the street and they are surrounded by a crowd now estimated to be somewhere in the neighborhood of 750,000 people and they all are focused upon this small group of men who initiated the attack on the United States.”
And then, as we watched in horror, the crowd surged inward, smothering the frightened officials until they disappeared in a melee of arms and kicks. It lasted for several minutes and when the crowd drew back, there was a heap of bloody bodies, their distorted limbs twisted and broken. There was no movement from the heap of bodies and it soon became obvious that they were all dead. The announcer spoke again in a hushed voice, “As you can see, the crowd has taken justice into their own hands. My sources inform me that similar scenes are being repeated all over China.”
The next day, Jun Min came to our hotel suite to fill us in on what was happening. Fincher ordered a bunch of dim sum and a couple of pots of coffee and we gathered around the dining table to hear Jun’s tale. “All of us are doing fine. Things have gotten a bit crazy but the anger is mostly directed at government officials. I don’t know how many have been killed. Certainly hundreds, and it might be thousands across the entire country. My father has been talking to other leaders about setting up a governing committee as a caretaker until elections can be held for a new group of government leaders. They figure the earliest an election can be organized is around 90 days from now. But the chaos has to stop long before then. And we have got to get businesses open again.”
“So how do you plan to do that?” Fincher asked.
“Well, we want to make sure that the business community makes some profound changes. Corruption and rampant pollution have to end. While everything is shut down we have the leverage to effect meaningful change but we need someone to negotiate with the owners. I had an idea that I think might work so I came over to talk with you about it.”
“OK, tell me what you have in mind,” Fincher said.
“As I understand it, Sanci can take any appearance she wants, right? She could appear to be a senior Chinese man?”
“I could do that,” Sanci said, looking thoughtful for a moment. “How’s this?” With that her figure on the screen morphed to that of a distinguished elder statesman with white hair and piercing eyes. “How do I look?” she asked in perfect Mandarin in a deep, contralto voice.
“Perfect,” Jun said. “Could you use that persona to conduct negotiations with business leaders all over the country?”
“As long as they are willing to negotiate over video conferencing I can,” the Chinese man replied.
“How many conversations can you handle simultaneously?” Jun asked.
“As many as I need to, I suppose. I have plenty of bandwidth available here. How do you want me to handle it?”
“My mother and sister are working with some of the student leaders to put together the framework for what we are calling “the Golden Rule Coalition.”
“OK, what is the basis for this coalition?” Fincher asked, obviously interested in this new development.
“We want to make some fundamental changes in the way government and business act. We are not dictating political goals and strategies but we want a commitment to some basic ideals and rules of behavior. Respect and honesty top the list. To be a part of the coalition, you have to agree to treat everyone you deal with, with respect. And you have to be honest and transparent with them as well. We also think that everyone involved has to be committed to creating a green China, one without the pollution that is ruining our lives and the planet we live on.”
“Those are very loft goals but they may be difficult to put into practice.” Fincher said. “But I really like the idea of the Golden Rule Coalition. Maybe we can use it in the United States as well. People of both parties committed to working together for positive goals, regardless of which party they belong to. You probably ought to include cooperation and compromise on your list. Get them to agree with the statement that if you are not part of the solution, you’re part of the problem.”
“We should make that our motto,” Shirley exclaimed. “I love it! Imagine, the Golden Rule Coalition affecting elections around the world! It would be fantastic!”
“You might just have something here. I think people all over the world are fed up with business as usual,” I interjected. “This could be a global movement!”
“Right now, let’s get it implemented in China. So Sanci, you’ll negotiate with our business leaders on behalf of the people of China?” Jun asked.
“I would be honored, Jun. Let me work on the wording for the Golden Rule Manifesto so we can see if the rest of the leadership buys into this concept. Finish your lunch and I’ll have a draft ready before you leave.”
On the screen of my Surface I could see Sanci as she intently worked at a computer that materialized in front of her. She was getting very good at providing the perfect visual representation of what she was doing. The dim sum arrived and we all dug in. It’s a good thing that Fincher had ordered a lot because we all were hungry, especially Jun. It was obvious that eating had not been high on his list of priorities for the past few days.
Chapter 21
THE GOLDEN RULE MANIFESTO
The concepts contained in this manifesto are not new nor can they be attributed to any particular faction or belief. Rather, they are the rules of polite society, evolved over thousands of years as human beings learned how to get along. And they are embodied by the age old saying, “Do unto others as you would have them do unto you.” Wikipedia has the following description….
The Golden Rule or ethic of reciprocity is a maxim, ethical code or morality that essentially states either of the following:
One should treat others as one would like others to treat oneself (directive form).
One should not treat others in ways that one would not like to be treated.
This concept describes a "reciprocal", or "two-way", relationship between one's self and others that involves both sides equally, and in a mutual fashion.
This concept can be explained from the perspective of psychology, philosophy, sociology and religion. Psychologically, it involves a person empathizing with others. Philosophically, it involves a person perceiving their neighbor as also an "I" or "self". Sociologically, this principle is applicable between individuals, between groups, and also between individuals and
groups. (For example, a person living by this rule treats all people with consideration, not just members of his or her in-group.) Religions figure prominently in the history of this concept.[1][5]
As a concept, the Golden Rule has a history that long predates the term "Golden Rule", or "Golden law", as it was called from the 1670s in England and Europe. As a concept of "the ethic of reciprocity," has its roots in a wide range of world cultures, and is a standard way that different cultures use to resolve conflicts. It has a long history, and a great number of prominent religious figures and philosophers have restated its reciprocal, "two-way" nature in various ways (not limited to the above forms).
Rushworth Kidder (the founder of the Institute for Global Ethics in 1990, and is the author of Moral Courage and How Good People Make Tough Choices: Resolving the Dilemmas of Ethical Living) notes that the Golden Rule can be found in the early contributions of Confucianism. Kidder notes that this concept's framework appears prominently in many religions, including "Hinduism, Buddhism, Taoism, Judaism, Zoroastrianism, and the rest of the world's major religions".[7] According to Greg M. Epstein, " 'do unto others' ... is a concept that essentially no religion misses entirely. The British philosopher Simon Blackburn also states that the Golden Rule can be "found in some form in almost every ethical tradition". All versions and forms of the proverbial Golden Rule have one aspect in common: they all demand that people treat others in a manner in which they themselves would like to be treated.
But where the application of this Golden Rule has been sorely lacking is in Government and business, especially big business. And that has contributed to our current state of political and financial corruption that has turned our citizens into doubting cynics who have lost touch with their governments, financial institutions, and business leaders.
It is time to offer the public a change that they can believe in, a change that is not represented by jingoistic hyperbole but committed, concerted actions. To that end, we are creating what shall be known as The Golden Rule Coalition. This will not be a political party, it will be a political movement that will affect all political parties. When a politician or a business leader becomes part of the Coalition, he or she will be declaring his or her dedication to the ideals expressed herein. They will commit to operate with complete honesty and transparency, advocating positions with truth rather than guile. And the members of the Coalition will hold them accountable for their actions.
The time has come for governments to rule with reason and compassion. It is time for businesses to earn profits through the merits of the labor they employ and the products and services they provide. Labor and management must together strive for success and they should share financially in that success. And we all should recoil from the devastation we have collectively wreaked upon the earth. The days of unrestrained, unconscionable pollution must end. Collectively we must strive to find a balance between profitable endeavors and responsible action.
These are the beliefs we hold in common. These are the goals we commit ourselves to accomplishing.
Jun finished reading Sanci’s draft of the Manifesto and commented, “This is very good. I think it will serve our purposes very well. I’ll take it to my father and see what he has to say. I don’t know if you know it but he has become the leader of this movement. He says he wasn’t looking to be a leader but so many of the students involved in the prodemocracy movement studied under him, he sort of got drafted into the job.”
“Well, I can’t think of anyone better qualified,” Fincher said. “Your father is a remarkable man. So what do you think happens next?”
“We have to all these different factions that have appeared to come together with a common goal. Hopefully, this Manifesto will serve that purpose,” Jun answered. “Are you OK here in the hotel? My father was worried you might go out into the streets. And that’s not a very good idea right now. Things are still very unsettled.”
“We’re fine here,” Fincher assured him. “The food and the company are both quite agreeable. And we can pretty much follow what’s going on by watching the television.”
“Great, I will try to come and see you again tomorrow or the day after, depending on how things go in the Square. Thanks again for all your help. See you soon!” And with that, Jun was gone back to the turmoil that was still erupting on the streets on Beijing.
Later that same day, we saw a report on CNN that talked about the new Golden Rule Manifesto that was being circulated among the milling populous. I was surprised how quickly it had surfaced. But much to my surprise, CNN reported it like it was the product of some terrorist organization that was infecting China. Of course, it was CNN, so what else did I expect?
Later, Sanci came on screen and gave us some news from the United States that she had gathered in her mysterious ways. “The government is strangely quiet about the events in China. The president’s spokesman simply said, ‘This is an internal Chinese problem and it will be resolved by the Chinese people.’ Nothing was said about the attempted attack on the US at all. That seems very odd to me.”
“It seems odd to me too,” I answered.
“Not really,” Fincher replied. “You can bet that they are glad they dodged that bullet but I expect they are rather concerned about just how that came about. The government doesn’t much like unknown players who explode onto the world scene. At the very least, it makes them nervous. At the worst, they start seeing terrorists hiding in every woodpile.”
“Bob, you are the most cynical man about the working of the American government I have ever met! And I’ve met more than a few,” Shirley said. “I’m not saying I disagree but then I am a cynic about governments in general.”
“I don’t detect any traffic concerning the US nuclear weapons. I don’t think anyone has discovered that they are now about as deadly as a bunch of firecrackers. So apparently, my efforts to conceal that fact from them are working,” Sanci said with an appreciable amount of relief in her voice. “I wonder how long it will take them to find out the truth.”
“I hope it takes a long time,” Fincher said. “Cause when they do, you can bet they are going to be coming after all of us.”
It was two days when we finally heard from Jun and the news wasn’t good. “The Manifesto was very well received,” he began. “Father presented it to the rest of the leaders as soon as I gave it to him. And everyone agreed that this was a workable way to bring us all together. But sometime last night Father and Mother along with my sister disappeared. I have no idea what happened to them.”
Sanci appeared on the television screen and said, “I do. They were picked up a couple of hours ago by some government stooges. I am in contact with them through their implants. They have been taken to a prison here in Beijing where they are being held incommunicado. I have just contacted our Sea Lion team and they are preparing to get into the air as we speak. I have recorded everything An Bo has seen and have converted it to 3D imagery that I’ll load into the Sea Lion’s heads-up display as they move in. I am going to restore power and video to the prison but not communications. They will be watching video monitors that I control and they will only see what I want them to see. I only hope that is enough. Five men are jumping into the central exercise yard just after dark. They need to retrieve the Mins and bring them here without getting caught. That’s no small order.”
“I have one question, Sanci,” said Fincher. “Isn’t there an airport near the prison?”
“Yes, there is one quite near that can accommodate the Gulfstream. What are you thinking?”
“Maybe we should have the Gulfstream linger until the Mins are free and then land at that spot. We can get from the hotel to the airport without too much trouble. When we’re ready, the plane lands and we all head out of here.”
“My parents won’t leave. They’re too much a part of all this. But we could have a team there to whisk them into hiding after they are free. And I do think it is a good idea for the rest of you to head home. You have done what you could and
we will still have Sanci with us.”
“Alright then, it sounds like a plan,” Fincher concluded. “Anything to add Sanci?”
“I just checked and there are no security forces at the airport. And there is a secure warehouse with an electronic lock that I can pick so you can make your way there and hide out in the warehouse. That way there won’t be a problem getting you all there at the same time. You should be in place before the Sea Lions jump into the prison. I just ordered a bunch of box lunches from the hotel kitchen. When they arrive, you can all head out. Agreed?”
I was more than a little nervous about venturing out into what I feared was an unruly mob but as it turned out, it wasn’t a problem. Shirley MacLaine was an icon in China and millions had seen her broadcast from Tiananmen Square. After the cheering stopped, we asked the one man that seemed to be somewhat in charge of the crowd if he could help us get across the eight miles to the airport in Yanshan. Miraculously, he quickly produced a bevy of motorcycle driven rickshaws and we were off. It took almost three hours to cover the eight miles because of the incredible crowds filling every street with noisy protest. But we did get there without any problems.
When we arrived there was a group of private security guards at the gate and at first they refused us admittance. But our guide, the illustrious Bao Qing spoke with them saying, “These are Americans who need to get inside and as long as you agree to let them in,, there will be no attempt by the crowd in back of me to storm the gates. On the other hand, if you do not cooperate, I can assure you that you will face a surging mob of thousands of enraged Chinese citizens.”
Evolution 2.0: The Singularity is Here Page 25
